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Monday, September 30, 2013

I happen to LOVE blue cheese on my steak. This creamy Gorgonzola sauce gives me just the right amount of "bite" from the blue cheese, yet is toned down with the creamy goodness and fresh herbs. It's an easy sauce to make, and dresses up your steak into something special! I used it on a beef filet, but you can use this on your favorite cut of steak.

Flip and sear side two for 2 minutes,
turn 90 degrees and sear an additional 2 minutes. This gave me the
medium I was looking for. Adjust times according to your preference of
doneness. I recommend a digital, instant read thermometer to take the
guesswork out of it, but there are some little tricks some people use to
test for doneness. *Read about the "face test" at the bottom of the
post. I did not make this up. I read it somewhere. It seems sorta
cool, so I'm passing it along in case this method appeals to any of you.

I
cooked to medium (160 degrees F *according to the USDA guidelines)
before resting 5 minutes. This was about 7 minutes for my steaks, but
this will depend on the thickness of your filets. (These were about 1
1/4" thick each.) If you like them more well done, just cook them longer. Just know that the meat will not be as tender. This post is really about the sauce.

Written Method:
Carefully bring the cream to a
boil, then reduce heat to medium low. Add the other ingredients and
cook until thickened and reduced. That's it!

For the beef filet -

I
cooked to medium (160 degrees F *according to the USDA guidelines)
before resting 5 minutes. This was about 7 minutes for my steaks, but
this will depend on the thickness of your filets. (These were about 1
1/4" thick each.) Allow filets to come to room temperature. Season
steaks well with seasoning blend of your choice. I used Montreal Steak
Seasoning. On a very hot grill pan, sear 1 minute, turn 90 degrees and
sear an additional 2 minutes. Flip and sear side two for 2 minutes,
turn 90 degrees and sear an additional 2 minutes. This gave me the
medium I was looking for. Adjust times according to your preference of
doneness. I recommend a digital, instant read thermometer to take the
guesswork out of it, but there are some little tricks some people use to
test for doneness. *Read about the "face test" at the bottom of the
post. I did not make this up. I read it somewhere. It seems sorta
cool, so I'm passing it along in case this method appeals to any of you.

With a poker face — no smiling or you’ll be eating beef jerky
— touch your cheek. That’s how rare meat feels. Offering no resistance
when pressed, it has a red center but should be warm all the way
through. Touch your chin. This is the feel of medium rare. The color should be bright pink to red when cut. Now, touch the end of your nose. This will coincide with the texture of medium doneness. It has a pink center. The area just above the bridge of your nose on your forehead
is the tactile equivalent of medium-well. It has a thin line of pink
remaining in the center. The bottom of your shoe is well done.

Winn-Dixie Executive Chef Robert Tulko prefers gauging doneness using touch also, but with his fist:

First, make a relaxed fist, he said. The web of your hand
between the thumb and forefinger on top feels like rare meat. If you
slightly clench your fist, that same v-section of your hand is now
medium. Clench your fist tightly, and the area will now feel like well
done — hard, and in my opinion, inedible.
Tulko explained that as meats cook, the juices are drawn to the upper
surface. That’s why when you cut into a steak, the juices rush out. He said you should let the steak rest for five to 10 minutes
before serving and cutting. The juices will have time to settle back to
the center.

Friday, September 27, 2013

Alright, so after making these, I promptly brought them to the office. WAY too dangerous to keep around the house. I like the topping on a German chocolate cake, but not usually the cake itself. It just seems too light for my tastes. So for these, I purposely sought out the darkest fudgy'est brownie mix I could find. So if you are into dark, rich chocolate brownies and coconut, these may be just the thing for you, too!

We're going to file this under the semi-homemade category. I made them after work, so I shaved some time and effort off of them by using a brownie mix. I made them my own, however with this to-die-for creamy, coconut pecan topping. If you have a favorite made-from-scratch brownie recipe you want to use, knock yourself out. But for an easy, but decadent dessert that people will rave over without a lot of stress, follow my step-by-step photos.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Rather than spray my stone baker, I lined it with parchment paper so that I could just lift the brownies out of the dish.

My daughter is just starting to learn to read, so she "read" the instructions off of the box before we began. It was priceless... and included putting the "mixed up ingredients" into a "short bowl" to bake them in. Well this is our short bowl. (casserole dish)

Bake according to directions. I used a 9"x9" stone "baker," and cooked
for 34 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the batter should come out
clean, but don't over bake or they will dry out.

To prepare for the frosting, toast the pecans and the coconut. I dry toasted the nuts about 7 minutes in the 350 degree F oven, shaking them around a couple of times. I just used a lower rack while the brownies were cooking. Same thing for the coconut - dry toast them in a pan in the oven, mixing them around every couple of minutes or so until pretty and brown. Watch coconut carefully so that it doesn't burn.

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup flaked sweetened coconut

While brownies are baking, let's prepare the coconut pecan frosting. Combine the first five ingredients.

1/2 cup half and half

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 egg yolk, beaten

4 Tbsp butter

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Carefully bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium low and cook for about 5 - 7 minutes so that it will thicken. Remove from heat, then stir in toasted pecans and coconut.

1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted and cooled

1/2 cup flaked sweetened coconut, toasted

Spread the frosting over the warm brownies. Let the brownies and frosting cool a while before lifting out, then cutting the brownies.

Carefully just lift out the parchment paper from the dish. TaDAH!!! Yay!! No more "digging out" the brownies!

There IS no other word to describe these than decadent! The darkest, fudgiest brownies I could find, and a coconut pecan praline'esque topping over that? Yes!

Preheat
oven to 350 degrees F. Rather than spray my stone baker, I lined it
with parchment paper so that I could just lift the brownies out of the
dish. Mix brownie batter according to package
directions. Pour batter into a prepared casserole dish. Bake according
to directions. I used a 9"x9" stone "baker," and cooked for 34
minutes. A toothpick inserted into the batter should come out clean,
but don't over bake or they will dry out.

To
prepare for the frosting, toast the pecans and the coconut. I dry
toasted the nuts about 7 minutes in the 350 degree F oven, shaking them
around a couple of times. I just used a lower rack while the brownies
were cooking. Same thing for the coconut - dry toast them in a pan in
the oven, mixing them around every couple of minutes or so until pretty
and brown. Watch coconut carefully so that it doesn't burn.

While
brownies are baking, let's prepare the coconut pecan frosting.
Combine the first five ingredients. Carefully bring to a boil, then
reduce heat to medium low and cook for about 5 - 7 minutes so that it
will thicken. Remove from heat, then stir in toasted pecans and
coconut. Spread the frosting over the warm brownies. Let the brownies
and frosting cool a while before cutting.

About Me

I am a prototypical modern American mom. I am retired professor of Anatomy & Physiology at a private Christian University, and mother to four beautiful children (3 boys and 1 girl). I am also a food blogger, cookbook author, and have owned my own cafe. My background is a PhD in Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience with emphasis on antioxidant research. My postdoctoral training was in human obesity and caloric restriction.

I grew up in South Louisiana where the best food in the world is routinely brought from the garden and the water, and put on the table. Everyone in my family of origin is a wonderful cook, so I guess it is just natural that I show my love to my family through food.

I love cooking and eating... and teaching my children the art and techniques of being in the kitchen. My mother taught me that there is always SOME part of the cooking process that even small children can help with...so my kids are indeed very familiar with the kitchen, the kitchen tools, use of homegrown herbs, etc.